Gun-carriage.



Nu. 630,!88. Pate nted Aug. I, I899. m. DARMANCIER & A. DALZON.

GUN CARRIAGE.

(Application filed July 31, 1897.)

2 Sheets-8heet I.

(No Model.)

Inventors \X itnesses m: Noam: wzrsns co. Pnoruuma. WASMiNGTDN, u. c.

No. 630,!88. Patented Aug. l, 1899. M. DARMANCIER 8. A. DALZON.

GUN CARRIAGE.

(Application filed July 81, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

By. Z

Inventors I W Jwrnmnezei y jyvfzmejwlzom.

ms nonms wzrzns co. vnoTo-Lrrna, WAQHINGTON, o, c.

NrrEn States MICHEL DARMANCIER AND AIMF'DALZON, OF ST. OHAMOND, FRANCE.

GUN-QCARRIAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,188, dated August 1, 1899.

Application filed July 31,1897. Serial No. 646,694. (No model.)

To all whom, it TH/CLZ/ concern:

Be it known that we, MICHEL DARMANCIER and AIME DALZON, citizens of the Republic of France, residing at St. Chamond, (Loire,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Carriages Mounted on Wheels, (for which we have obtainedLetters I .3, 1897, and in Norway, No. 6,523, dated June 24, 1897,) of which the following is a'specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of gun-carriages mounted on wheels.

In order to enable the combined gun and carriage to recede or recoil bodily whenever the gun is fired and to automatically resume its initial position prior to firing again, we employan inclined elastic prop or recoil-arm, which may be either single or double and is jointed on tothe front of the gun-carriage. This prop terminates in the rear in a spadeshaped anchor or fluke resting in contact both with the ground and with the trail of the carriage and provided with a hydraulic brake and a device for storage and redelivery of energy, which may consist either of metal springs (exposed or inclosed) or of a compressed-air pad or buffer, the arrangement being such that the prop or recoil-arm is compressed during the recoil, and thereby made to alter its angle or inclination, but that it will resume its initial length and angle of illclination under the counteracting impulse of the (spring or air) energy-storing device as soon as the recoil ceases.

The gun is pointed or laid laterally by the aid of a small additional or auxiliary carriage provided with a vertical pivot in the rear and with a curved horizontal flange concentric with and situated in front of the said pivot. The pivot and flange connect the auxiliary carriage with the main-carriage frame, thereby, in combination with the lateralpointing apparatus, securing the connection between these two parts of the gun-carriage.

The arrangement for rectifying 0r readjust ing the lateral pointing is so constructed as to enable the small carriage to be turned a few degrees upon its pivot, either from left to right or inversely. This apparatus, as well as the mechanism for upright pointing, is placed in front of the small or auxiliary carriage-tl1at is to say, near to the mouth of the barrel.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the small or auxiliary carriage, comprising also a section of the frame on line A B, Figs. 8 and 9, and a central vertical section of the elastic prop or recoil-arm with the springs exposed, the pointing trail-lever being in this figure supposed to be turned back and all being in readi= ness for firing. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the rear end'of the gun-carriage frame and of the prop or recoil-arm in position for traveling on roads. Fig. 3 is a section of an elastic prop or recoil-arm with the springs concealed. Fig. 4 is a plan of a single elastic prop or recoilarm with the rear chain forked or divided. Fig. 5 is another plan of a single elastic prop or recoil-arm With two side chains linked to the chains of the gun-carriage. elevation corresponding to Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the auxiliary carriage with mechanism for correcting the lateral pointing of the gun and a central vertical section of the gun-carriage frame. Fig. 8 is a horizon tal section on the broken line C D E F, Fig. 7, of the carriage-frame and of mechanism for the adjustment of lateral pointing, a plan of the arrangement for strengthening the axle and wheels, a plan of a double elastic prop or recoil-arm, and a plan of the chains for connecting such prop to the carriage. The auxiliary carriage is supposed to be removed. Fi 9 is a plan ofthe main gun-carriage, together Wit-h an auxiliary carriage and mechanism for the adjustment of lateral pointing, the carriage trail-levcr being turned back. Fig. 10 illustrates a mode of connection of the prop or recoil-arm to the frame by means of telescoping rods, the parts being shown in position for firing. Fig. 11 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 10, the partsbeingshown in position for travelingt. e. limbered up.

Fig. 6 is an Figs. 12 and 13 are vertical section-s of a compressed-air prop or recoil-arm.

The inclined elastic recoil-arm, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 13, consists of a brake-cylinder Ct properly packed and containing liquid and within which there is adapted to slide a solid piston 19, Fig. 1, or a plunger 6, Fig. 3, a tube d for strengthening the prop or recoil-arm enveloping the piston, Fig. 1, being arranged to slide along the hydraulic cylinder and to serve as a guide for a simple or compound metal spring 0, having any suitable shape in section,such spring extending over the greater part of the length of the prop or recoil-arm. The end of such prop, which is situated near the trail, comprises a tube 6 for protecting the spring. This spring is shown exposed in Fig. 1, but it may be in'closed within the cylindrical rod of the piston or plunger 7), Figs. 3 and 4, in which case the tubes 01 and e (shown in Fig. 1) may be dispensed with.

The prop or recoil-arm may be arranged along (below, Within, over, or side by side with) the gun-carriage frame, it being connected to the front part of the carriage by a pivotal connection hsuch as a pin, pivot, or trunnion.which is held in the bearing or bracket 't', secured to or integral with the carriage-frame J and extended rearwardly, said recoil-arm terminating in an anchor or fluke 'f, which is arranged in contact with the carriage-trail andextends practically in the direction of the concussion stress transmitted by such trail, such anchor being provided with a sharp edge that terminates in a more or less obtuse point and carries a shoulder g.

Instead of employing springs for the storage and redelivery of energy, water or compressed air may be utilized, Fig. 12, being caused to fill the spaces 0 0 left between the parts. .The hydraulic cylinder in this figure is supposed to be situated in the rear, and

. the strengthening-tube acts as a piston within the protecting-tube. In Fig. 13 the hydraulic cylinder is shown as arranged in front-4. 6., on side of the mouth of the barrel-and the piston or plunger in the rear. The strengthening-tube d, Fig. 1, constitutes a compressedair reservoir,and the hydraulic cylinder forms a piston within such tube, a packing-ring being provided to separate the liquid from the air.

The prop or recoil-arm may consist of one or more parallel cylinders or sets of cylinders, such as ct a Fig. 8, and a corresponding number of pistons, such as b 19 Fig. 8. The operation of this inclined elastic prop or recoil-arm is as follows: At the moment of firing the trial exerts great pressure on the lower part of the anchor or fluke f, thereby driving it into the ground. Then the combined gun and carriage recoil bodily, the edge of the fluke fremaining in the cut or indentation it has made inthe ground, and the pis ton b as it enters the cylinder ct forcing the liquid therein from the rear forward, Figs. 1,'

3, and 12, and from theforward portion backward, Fig. 13. In the meantime the spring is compressed and the prop or recoil-arm rises a few degrees from its inclined position, its length being somewhat reduced as it does so. The recoil being over, the movements just described are reversed.

We have already shown how the prop or recoil-arm is connected to the front part of the gun-carriage by meansof a pivot, trunnion, or pin h. At the back this connection is effected by means of a forked or divided chain Z, one end of which is hooked to the prop or recoil-arm and the other to the carriage-frame, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, or instead of this single chain Z two side chains, such as Z Z Figs. 5, 6, '7, and 8, may be employed, or one or two telescoping rods Z, Figs. 10 and 11, may be provided in lieu thereof. The object of this mode of connection is to prevent the carriage-trail from receding too far from the anchor at the end of the recoil movement and to hold said anchorin contact with the trail when the latter is raised, and with this object in view the energy-storing devices are subjected to compression, the effect of which is to stretch the chain or chains or the telescopic rods Z or Z, Z or Z, as the case may be, and such tension is so regulated as to produce an upward transverse strain strong enough to produce the above-named result. The inclined position and the length of the chain or chains permit the gun-carriage to recede for a predetermined distance without removing the fluke from its out or indentation in the ground.

In order to impart increased rigidity to the connection between the rear of the prop or recoil-arm and the carriage-trail in the limbered up or traveling position, we employ a short chain with a hook it, adapted to be connected to the inclined chain or rod Z, whether single or double, the connection being made either direct or through an intermediate chain m whenever the trial-lever is turned down upon the gun-carriaget'. 6., in the inoperative or traveling position, Figs. 2 and 11. As a modification one or two short hooked chains, such as n 7?, may be fastened to the carriage-frame J direct and hooked onto the rods or chains Z or Z or to the anchor when firing is over, Figs. 10 and 11.

The gun-barrel rests upon the main carriage with the interposition of a small auxiliary carriage 13, Figs. 1, 3, and 7. This auxiliary carriage carries a vertical pivot on the cross-piece V at its rear, while in front it has a large claw q, resting upon the horizontal flange 1", concentric with the pivot O and forming part of the stout movable crosspiece ct of. the gun-carriage. The flange 7" engages without any appreciable amount of play with the claw q. The pivot is situated near and somewhat in the rear of the center of gravity of the combined gun-carriage and gun. The said pivot is either in the axial plane of the gun-carriage or upon one side of such plane.

IIO

The devices for pointing in the vertical direction and for correcting or adjusting the lateral pointing of the gun are arranged in advance of the pivot. The recoil and raising stresses are transmitted by the pivot and the annular claw of the auxiliary gun-carriage or pivot-bearing to the circular tie-board. The front part of the auxiliary carriage may under go a lateral angular displacement of a few degrees in extent about the pivot.

The mechanism for the adjustment of the lateral pointing enables the front part of the auxiliary carriage to be actuated. It consists, as shown in Fig. 7, of a screw-threaded cross-spindle 25, carried by the front part of the frame J and operated by means of a crankhandle 3, Fig. 9, situated on the right orleft, in front, behind, or in alinement with the pivot O and connected therewith either directly or by any suitable gearing. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the threaded portion of the spindle 2f acts upon a nut so, the nipple of which engages in a recess provided for the purpose in the auxiliary carriage, so that it has no lateral play.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim in wheeled guncarriages is 1. The combination with a gun-carriage, of an inclined elastic prop or recoil-arm arranged along arid in juxtaposition to the gun-carriage frame and having its forward end pivotally jointed to the front of the carriage and its rear end provided with an anchor in contact with the carriage-trail, the said elastic prop or recoil-arm comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, and telescopic rods connecting the said cylinder with the carriage-trail, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a gun-carriage, of an inclined elastic prop or recoil-arm arranged along and in juxtaposition to the gun-earriage frame and having its forward end pivotally jointed to the front of said frame, the

said elastic prop or recoil-arm comprising a cylinder, a piston, a spring extended throughout the greater part of the length of said prop, an anchor having a shoulder in contact with the carriage-trail, and extensible connections including telescopic rods between the prop and trail, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a gun-carriage, of an inclined elastic prop or recoil-arm arranged along and in juxtaposition to the gun-carriage frame and having its forward end piv otally jointed to the front of said frame, the said elastic prop or recoil-arm comprising a cylinder, a piston, a spring extended throughout the greater part of the length of the prop, a guard-tube e for protecting said spring, a tube 61 for strengthening the prop, and an anchor connected with the prop and arranged in contact with the carriage-trail and telescopic rods connecting said cylinder with the carriage-trail, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a gun-carriage, of an inclined elastic prop or recoil-arm having its forward end in pivotally-jointed connection with the front of the carriage-frame and its rear end provided with an anchor in contact with the gun-carriage trail, and an auxiliary carriage interposed between the gunbarrel and the main-carriage frame and provided in the rear with a vertical pin or pivot and having at its front a claw resting on a curved horizontal flange r of the gun-carriage cross-piece u, the said flange being concentrio with the said pivot of the auxiliary carriage, and mechanism for imparting angular adjustment to said auxiliary carriage for correcting or readjusting the lateral pointing of the gun, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

MICHEL DARMANCIER. AIME DALZoN.

\Vitnesses:

PIERRE TORESTE, J. CASTEY SUNVUGT. 

